BOMB CELLARS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXII, Issue 4717, 16 November 1938, Page 3

BOMB CELLARS

BUILT FOR HITLER. NEW BERLIN CHANCELLERY. Heads that bear a crown rest uneasily at times —but their worries are small compared to those of dictators, radioed John Dickson from Copenhagen to the Chicago Tribune recently. Occasionally one learns details of the vast machinery being used to protect Mussolini and Josef Stalin. Little is known, however, of the secret measures taken to protect Reichsfuhrer Hitler of Germany, though they rival in efficiency those taken for other dictators.

The newly-built Chancellery in Berlin can be described as a fortress. Its bombproof cellars reach far down into the earth and are equipped with all modern conveniences—including bathrooms and high-grade air conditioning

unknown in other German buildings. There are special elevators connecting with the kitchen of the chancellery to provide food. In addition emergency rations are packed in vast pantries. The new festive halls, which Hitler added to the chancellery which fulfilled the needs of Germany's Iron Chancellor, Prince von Bismarck, provide space for 3000 guests. Under these halls are three bombproof cellars to shelter the Chief of State and his aides.

The new building has a hidden bombproof roof. The top layer of the roof is made of a new variety of glass—about three inches thick, which is supposed to be bombproof. Parts of this roof can be moved back—something like a horizontal shutterallowing armoured turrents to emerge. They are similar to the pillboxes in fortification lines along the German border.

Equipped With Guns.

These turrets are equipped with machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, and a sound-detecting outfit. While the new chancellery was being built, observers could see a tremendous iron structure being incorporated into the facade in the Voss Street side of the building. The structure is topped by a crane which, in case of emergency, can be used to raise or lower artillery and ammunition to and from the roof of the chancellery.

Nazis realise that the day may come when the Chief of State will want to leave his headquarters rapidly, without being seen by those surrounding the chancellery. A special tunnel connects with the nearby subway. Workers are building an additional tunnel connecting the subway in the water end of Berlin with the Avus, the automobile speedway leading out of • Berlin.

In a newspaper appeared the following advertisement: "The man who picked up my wallet in the High Street was recognised. He is requested to return it." The next day this was published in reply: "The recognised man who picked up the wallet requests the loser to call at any time and collect it."